Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

They had barely taken two steps toward the costume supply warehouse when Connor's cell phone started ringing.

"Matt," answered Connor in surprise.

"Connor," said Matt "we need you to get down here right now."

"What did you say there Matt?" asked Connor as a grin spread across his face. "I'm turning up the volume so I can hear you better." He thumbed the volume control with one hand, while the other did a fist pump. Abby looked at him, as she heard Matt repeating his request and snorted. If Connor's ankle wasn't sprained, he probably would have been jumping up and down she thought.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Lester's wife approached the pair. Abby was the first to notice her arrival, the click of the woman's stilettos on the pavement sounded ominously like claws she thought.

Connor closed his cell phone with a click and started to speak, "We need…"

"To get back with the others," interrupted the tall, slender brunette.

Connor blinked with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Anomaly alert," the woman responded "that is our job you know. Pointing in the direction away from the costume supply building, she continued "Let's go."

Connor turned in the direction she pointed and started limping down the street. She called after him, "Connor."

He stopped and turned to look at her. She looked pointedly at his ankle. "Perhaps we should take the van," she suggested with a weary sigh.

"Oh, yeah… right."

Abby watched as the pair climbed into the moving van. Connor had been right all those weeks ago she thought. There was no way Mrs. Lester could be Helen Cutter. Mrs. Lester was a good bit taller, almost as tall as Connor.

Abby climbed into the driver's seat of the van, started it up and turned around heading back to where Matt and the others were. They were about a block away, when they heard the roar of an explosion. Glass shattered from the windows of the costume supply warehouse as it burst into flame.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Becker, Hendricks and Stephenson were trying to herd the triceratops back down the narrow street towards the anomaly with careful shots of their EMDs, but the creature wasn't in the mood to cooperate. Trapped between the tall buildings, the creature kept twisting and turning its head seeking an escape route. Matt watched as Emily moved the SUV to block the left side street somewhat.

"Where are they Jess," he asked impatiently into the comm device.

"Don't know," she said worriedly "an explosion just blew out the video feed… I can't tell…"

Matt felt his stomach lurch. No, it couldn't…

The rumble of a moving van pulling up behind him stopped his worries. He gave a sigh of relief as he saw Abby, then Connor step out of the van, and was that Lester's wife he thought in surprise.

Directing Connor at the damaged anomaly locking device, he asked "Can you get it working?"

Connor didn't answer, but knelt by the machine and reached into his messenger bag. Withdrawing some tools, he began making adjustments.

Abby spoke, "Matt, do you have another EMD. I'll go help Becker and the others." She watched as the triceratops stepped sideways, its tail thrashing angrily.

Matt shook his head, "No Abby, we are still short of supplies since the convergence. See if you can turn the van sideways to block off this street… then we'll have it cornered." She nodded quickly and went to move the vehicle.

Looking at the brunette, Matt added "Maybe you should go get in the van with Abby, it'll be safer."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise at his words. "Don't be ridiculous," she replied withdrawing a weapon from her beaded handbag. She stepped to stand behind Connor, who was oblivious to her presence. He was still tightening wires back on to the circuitry of the damaged machine. Matt thought the woman looked almost like a sentry, or a bodyguard... He shook his head and walked towards Emily, he was going to be in position with her to make sure the triceratops turned to go back into the anomaly.

A sudden roar turned his attention back to the angry triceratops. It had turned in frustration and started running, directly towards the anomaly locking device… and Connor. The young man looked up, his eyes wide in realization of his sudden peril.

The woman fired.

The repeating sound of the automatic was lost in the death roars of the triceratops. The huge creature staggered, stumbled and fell. Its momentum continued to slide the body across the pavement until it came to a stop, mere inches from Connor and the anomaly locking device.

"Have you got that machine fixed yet," the woman asked Connor in a testy voice. "We don't want whatever was trying to eat that creature for dinner coming through you know."

A loud screech came from the anomaly. Connor gulped and then nodded in agreement. He knew he didn't want to see whatever made that noise. He pressed some buttons. The anomaly shimmered brightly, then closed.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Matt watched as the woman walked away. She had said something about dinner, and just left. Becker came up behind him.

"Did you hear that," he asked Matt watching the woman's departure with a perplexed frown on his face.

"Yeah," Matt replied. They both knew the sound of that weapon, and it definitely wasn't standard issue… not anywhere.

"Matt, Becker," called Jess over the comm "would you tell Abby and Connor that his sister is coming to stay the night at my flat."

"Yeah Jess, I'll tell them," replied Matt. "We'll be here a while longer, but you two might as well go on, and let the trainee earn his pay."

"You're sounding like Lester," she admonished him before signing off.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby was very carefully not, absolutely not, looking at the creature that was so close to Connor. She smiled down at him, trying to control the tremble in her lips. Reaching out a hand to help him up, she said "Let's go home, yeah."

"Yeah," he agreed with a smile.

In the distance, the sound of a fire truck siren could be heard, headed towards the burning warehouse no doubt.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby parked the moving van in front of their home. She helped Connor get out and let him lean on her as they slowly walked up the sidewalk to the steps. Duncan and Edie opened the door to let them in.

"Jack?" she asked the pair.

Edie shook her head. Duncan was more vocal, "Haven't seen him," he said. "But look," he continued excitedly "I've got the telly hooked up and the game station…" his voice trailed off as he realized how exhausted the pair looked.

Edie was now talking to Abby. "A couple came by while you were out… Jenny and Michael… they left you something… I put it in the fridge. Also, the rest of the stew is in there if you want to heat it up… and," she leaned in to whisper "I put sheets on the bed for you."

Abby smiled at her friend, "You didn't have to do all that…" she started.

"Oh," scoffed Edie "it was nothing."

"We'll just be going now," said Duncan "let you get settled. Busy day and all…" he added hopefully, "maybe another time, we can get together for Babylon 5."

Connor gave a small nod, as he leaned back against the wall.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby shut the door behind Duncan and Edie, and turned to look at Connor.

"Do you want me to get you some paracetamol?" she asked. "Or some dinner?" She shivered a little, the spring night was rapidly cooling.

Connor looked at her, "Both sound good," he said gratefully. "Are you chilly?"

She nodded.

He glanced at the table, still covered with boxes. She followed his gaze as it travelled back across their home, to the door of the small study. She could just barely see the fireplace from where she was standing.

"How about I get a fire going," he suggested "we could have a picnic…"

She smiled, "I'll get the food… meet you…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the kitchen, Abby stared. Edie and Duncan had done much more than just put leftovers in the fridge. The dishes were washed and stacked neatly in the drain, the counters were scrubbed and the pots were hung from their hooks ready for their next use. She smiled in appreciation, then searched for the paracetamol. She couldn't find it.

Well, she thought, dinner would have to do. She opened the refrigerator to get the stew out, and saw the bottle that Jenny and Michael had left. Hmmm, that might be a good idea.

The rain, which had been holding off all day, started a gentle, steady drizzle.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor was sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace when she came in carrying the tray. Two bowls of leftover stew, some biscuits and a bottle of champagne.

"Where did that come from," asked Connor in surprise.

"Jenny and Michael," she replied "stopped by while we were out." She set the tray down on the rug beside the hearth. The fire gave a little crackle and she sniffed appreciatively. The warmth was already starting to permeate the room.

Abby handed Connor the bottle. Neither one of them drank much, but a glass of champagne to celebrate sounded like a good idea to both of them tonight. The sound of a pop and the froth of bubbly had them giggling together. Connor filled their glasses.

"A toast to our new home and…" he said. She nodded, then leaned in to hear the rest of his whispered words. She smiled and leaned even closer to kiss him. But he placed a hand out to stay her. He pulled a small box out of his pocket.

"Abby," he started "I meant to give you this earlier in the morning, but Jess and me sister got here before…" He opened the box for her to see. He heard the quick intake of her breath, and looked up into her eyes. The sparkle in her eyes was even brighter than the sparkle in the box. He reached out for her hand, and slid the ring on her finger.

She leaned in closer, definitely intending to kiss him, but she forgot about his ankle. He hissed in pain when she jarred his leg.

"Connor, let's get your boots off," she said "I want to see that ankle."

He snorted, "Now that sounds like a line, doesn't it? Next thing, you'll be wanting to see me legs."

They both smiled, remembering that long ago time in the cretaceous. The unpacking of boxes and arranging of things in their new home would be something that Abby and Connor would enjoy doing over the next several days, but tonight they had better things to do.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Jack came up the steps and knocked on the front door. It was late, later than he had expected, and he was soaked from the rain.

He knocked again. Couldn't they hear him. Didn't they know to open the door and let him in. Really, how inconsiderate.

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